Wagon end-gate



(No Model.)

L. LEHMAN.

WAGON END GATE.

No. 318,635. Patented May 26, 1885.

fii way LEANDER LEHMAN, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WAGON END-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,635, dated May 26, 1885.

Application filed April 10, 1885. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEANDER LEHMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVagon-End Gate Openers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient mechanism for application to folding end-gate of wagon for operating the two spring-catches holding it closed, as usual, whereby both said catches may be raised and end-gate let down instantly by one hand.

My invention consists, essentially, of two pivoted levers and means for tripping the same, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of rear end of wagon-bed with my invention ap plied to end-gate thereof. Fig. 2 represents a plan of trip mechanism with handle and lid of case removed. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 represent, respectively, the bed of easing, the tripcam, the lid ofcasing, handle with solid shank, and modified handle with hinged shank.

In the further description reference is had to said views, in which like letters denote like parts.

A denotes the operating-handle with solid shank AK A denotes a laydown handle, attached by hinge-joint to shank A A denotes the spline of handle, which is applied in the square eye of tumbler.

M is the means for its rotation, as in doorlocks, its tappets t working against parts of the trip-cam D L in recess Q therein. Said trip-cam D L is a block provided with cuts or notches L in its opposite sides, and shoulders D and P adjacent thereto of greater lateral extent than the lower portions, D, of its sides, which latter are guided by the side walls of the casing 13, which is adapted to admit said end of block therein loosely, while said upper parts project through said walls and come even with their exterior edges. Receptacles H and H in said block and easing, respectively, sustain therein the ends of the spiral spring G, which throws said trip-cam upward when the operating-handle is let go, the upper end of casing serving to stop the as cent of the same. Into said notches L are inserted loosely the ends of the levers G which latter are pivoted at G to endgate X, while the casing is attached about midway between said pivotal points to the cross-bars on endgate or block thereon in manner to align said levers to bring their slightly-bent outer ends, to apply directly against the under sides of the catches 0, as shown. Staples a, with elongated eye vertically, to allow the levers O to work up and down in them, serve to keep the same applied to the end-gates top rail, 0:.

YVith the parts united and in position, as shown and described, about a quarter-turn of the operating'handle brings the trip-cam D L down and the inner ends of levers 0 along with it, which raises the outer ends, 9, of said levers and lifts the spring-catches 0, to free them of the top of end-gate X, which may then be swung out and let down by the same hand on said handle, thus permitting the operators other hand to be used for holding articles to be stowed on wagon. Another advantage of my device is, that said catches are not liable to be unduly sprung, as the trip mechanism limits the throw of said levers. I prefer to make the handle, as shown in Fig. 7, to lay down or drop, to be out of the way when wagon is backed against a wall.

I claim 1. For operating the catches holding closed the end-gate of a wagon, the trip mechanism, substantially as set forth, consisting of a lockform casing, atrip-cam or sliding block guided vertically in the same, a spiral spring under the latter in said casing, a rotary tumbler for tripping said cam, provided with suitable handle, and two pivoted levers having their inner ends inserted in bearings in said cam, and having their outer ends in communication with said catches for tripping the same, substantially as set forth.

2. Incombination with an end-gate, X, of

Wagon-bed provided with closing-catches 0 thereby aetnatingsaid cam,levers, and catches, for the same, the levers 0 secured to endsubstantially as and for the purposes set forth.

gate by pivots G and staples a, the casing B, LEANTDER LEHMAN containing trip-cam D L, in communication L 5 with the inner ends of said levers the tuln- WVitnesses:

bler M for said cam, and a suitable rigid or THEoPHILUs \VEAVER,

la-ydown handle for rotating said tumbler, and D. O. MAURER. 

